CHARLOTTE, N.C., – On the morning of Jan. 26, nine Novant Health team members received guardian angel recognition at a special pinning ceremony at the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Foundation.
The event was inspired by Karen Pedigo, who was touched by the extraordinary care her parents, the late Dick and June Kemp, received from Novant Health Hospice. In their honor, Pedigo also gave a $1 million gift through the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Foundation to establish the June and Dick Kemp Hospice Professional Development Fund. The fund will be used to provide continuing education for Novant Health Hospice team members, thus ensuring a legacy of high-quality care for all future patients.
“I’d always heard of hospice care, but until it affects you personally, you just don’t realize how powerful a gift it truly is for your family,” said Pedigo. “My mother passed in 2017 and received hospice care at the hospital. Then, my father passed last year, and was able to receive hospice care at home for several months before he died. In both experiences, I felt like we were being taken care of by angels from God. Not only did they take care of the clinical bedside needs of my parents, but they also provided us with emotional support and professional guidance. I realized throughout this experience that we spend so much time thinking about how to maintain a high quality of life during our best days, but then forget about the fact that our last days are just as important.”
The guardian angel pins, which are meant to be worn near the caregiver’s heart, are intended to serve as a symbolic reminder of the integral role that each team member contributed on the patient’s care team. The team members who received recognition are:
- Kyle Barrier, RN – former hospice nurse case manager
- John Michael Flynn, hospice chaplain
- Ashley Jacobs, RN – hospice nurse
- Kathryn “Kitty” Knight, RN - hospice nurse
- Amanda Lewis, hospice chaplain
- Gena Renfrow, hospice medical social worker
- Siri Thomas, palliative care nurse practitioner
- Gregg Walker, hospice chaplain
- Brenda Wisdom, hospice nurse
“Karen Pedigo is the personification of thoughtfulness and generosity,” said Ann Caulkins, senior vice president of Novant Health and president of Novant Health Foundation. “Despite the devastating loss of her parents, she was inspired by the care they received and decided to pay it forward. Not only did she honor the selfless work of our incredible hospice team members at today’s pinning ceremony, but she also ensured that their legacy and commitment to excellence will live on in the lives and ongoing work of our future caregivers.”
The June and Dick Kemp Hospice Professional Development Fund was inspired by Pedigo’s desire to ensure that all future patients and their families can benefit from the same high-quality care that her parents received. The fund will be used to enhance excellence in hospice and palliative care by providing educational opportunities for Novant Health Hospice clinical team members. In addition, the fund will promote lifelong learning opportunities for hospice team members to help them stay engaged, resilient and passionate about their work. A typical Novant Health Hospice care team includes a hospice physician, nurse, nursing assistant, social worker, chaplain, grief counselor and trained volunteers.
Novant Health offers compassionate hospice and palliative care services for patients and their families in and around the Charlotte market. Individuals can either request a Novant Health Hospice referral from their physician or call Novant Health Hospice at 866-405-0358.
If you or a loved one would like to recognize a Novant Health team member for providing remarkable care, visit SupportNovantHealth.org/Gratitude.
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